Arctic BaySA国际影视传媒檚 recreation co-ordinator has been hoping to get a baseball diamond for his community for quite some time.

He, along with the community of Whale Cove, will get that chance thanks to the charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Arctic Bay and Whale Cove were two communities announced as recipients of a grant from the Jays Care FoundationSA国际影视传媒檚 Field of Dreams initiative. A total of $1.2 million was announced on April 22 for 16 communities around the country with the two Nunavut communities being the only ones North of 60 receiving money. Arctic Bay will be receiving approximately $45,000 while Whale CoveSA国际影视传媒檚 grant is worth $16,000 and will go toward covering the cost of installing a new backstop for the existing diamond.

Thomas Levi, Arctic BaySA国际影视传媒檚 recreation co-ordinator, said heSA国际影视传媒檚 been waiting on this grant since 2019.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 been pushed back because of Covid-19,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 was really happy and relieved when they told me the grant was approved.SA国际影视传媒�

That grant money will take care of the lionSA国际影视传媒檚 share of the funds needed to build the diamond. The total cost has been pegged at $55,000 with Levi saying the hamlet will take care of the rest.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey approved the other $10,000 we needed,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Once itSA国际影视传媒檚 completed, Levi hopes to have a full-size diamond with artificial turf, dugouts for the teams and stands for spectators. To help make sure that happens, Levi got in touch with Synthetic Turf International out of Kelowna, B.C., to see what they could do to help.

SA国际影视传媒淚 called them and told them what we were looking to do,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey gave me a quote for four people to come up and help build and theySA国际影视传媒檒l be coming up once the snow disappears.SA国际影视传媒�

If youSA国际影视传媒檝e ever been to Arctic Bay, youSA国际影视传媒檒l know there isnSA国际影视传媒檛 a lot of flat land in which to work with and Levi said the diamond will be built on the flattest land available: by the mountains.

SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 the only place we can build it,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 not much flat land in the community.SA国际影视传媒�

Levi has other projects heSA国际影视传媒檚 looking to have completed now that many of the Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted, one of which is to have turf laid down over the holes on the golf course in the community.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檒l see if the people coming can help with that if they have the time,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Other projects, such as two new playgrounds, are on hold for the present time, he added.

But heSA国际影视传媒檚 just happy to get the baseball business taken care of.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 been four years since I applied,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淧eople have been waiting for it and once itSA国际影视传媒檚 built, everyone can come and play on it.SA国际影视传媒�